Oradell's police promotion process adjusted

For Oradell police officers, |scoring a promotion will now be a clearer process to navigate.

The Oradell Council recently approved an ordinance on the police promotion process.

At a Jan. 29 meeting, the Oradell Borough Council voted to amend an ordinance to change the police promotion process. The ordinance was initially introduced at the reorganization meeting in the beginning of January and now is in its final stages.

The ordinance lays out the requirements for a more efficient process for police officers to move up the ranks in the department. Councilman James G. Koth, liaison to the Police and Emergency Management Committee, said that the sole responsibility and decisions on the promotions would change hands from the department to the mayor and council.

Koth said he hopes the ordinance will provide a level playing field with a bit more oversight.

"Generally up until this point, the promotional process and the police department has been guided by an unadopted or unofficial set of rules and regulations that have been drafted by the police themselves and have been implemented by the police chief," he said.

Koth also noted that Police Chief Frank P. Florio updated departmental rules and regulations over the course of last year to make them compliant with local statutes and laws. The Public Safety Committee is in the process of approving the newly written regulations to use in the administration of the department.

"One of the things we felt did not particularly belong in the rules and regulations for sole guidance, is that the promotional process is adopted in an ordinance by the mayor and council, which sets about a fair and equitable process in how officers within the department can expect to move through and have ample opportunity at promotion, depending upon how they may qualify based upon the criteria set herein," Koth said.

Revisions and oversight to the process have not been forthcoming in prior years, Koth said.

"What has not been addressed in any way shape or form in the past, have been promotions to two ranks contained within the contract, that being detective and detective sergeant," Koth said. "It was something that we overlooked a little bit, as it was not contained in the old rules and regulations."

Also on the recommendation of Florio, the committee set the criteria for the promotion process, but had not moved forward with any promotions other than the chief.

Koth was adamant that the ordinance was a top priority for the committee, because the police department needed a clear and organized path to higher positions.

"This isn't about what these people do, this is the process about how these people can move into these positions," Koth said.

State law requires that any person must have previously worked for a municipality's police force before they can be promoted to the position of chief. The position of captain is currently unfilled in River Edge. The police staff currently calls for one chief, captain, lieutenant, detective and detective sergeant, five sergeants and 13 patrol officers.

Koth said the new process would not only help current officers potentially move through positions in a more defined manner, but also help staffing shortfalls.

"I'd like to start by thanking the council for adopting the promotional ordinance to help move along getting the police department properly staffed with supervisory personnel," Koth said. "I'm happy now to be one of the municipalities in Bergen County that has a defined process for promotions in our police department. There are many benefits that having this process will provide to the borough."

Oradell's police promotion process adjusted

The Oradell Council recently approved an ordinance on the police promotion process.

By Stephanie Alberico

Staff Writer |

Town News

For Oradell police officers, |scoring a promotion will now be a clearer process to navigate.

At a Jan. 29 meeting, the Oradell Borough Council voted to amend an ordinance to change the police promotion process. The ordinance was initially introduced at the reorganization meeting in the beginning of January and now is in its final stages.

The ordinance lays out the requirements for a more efficient process for police officers to move up the ranks in the department. Councilman James G. Koth, liaison to the Police and Emergency Management Committee, said that the sole responsibility and decisions on the promotions would change hands from the department to the mayor and council.

Koth said he hopes the ordinance will provide a level playing field with a bit more oversight.

"Generally up until this point, the promotional process and the police department has been guided by an unadopted or unofficial set of rules and regulations that have been drafted by the police themselves and have been implemented by the police chief," he said.

Koth also noted that Police Chief Frank P. Florio updated departmental rules and regulations over the course of last year to make them compliant with local statutes and laws. The Public Safety Committee is in the process of approving the newly written regulations to use in the administration of the department.

"One of the things we felt did not particularly belong in the rules and regulations for sole guidance, is that the promotional process is adopted in an ordinance by the mayor and council, which sets about a fair and equitable process in how officers within the department can expect to move through and have ample opportunity at promotion, depending upon how they may qualify based upon the criteria set herein," Koth said.

Revisions and oversight to the process have not been forthcoming in prior years, Koth said.

"What has not been addressed in any way shape or form in the past, have been promotions to two ranks contained within the contract, that being detective and detective sergeant," Koth said. "It was something that we overlooked a little bit, as it was not contained in the old rules and regulations."

Also on the recommendation of Florio, the committee set the criteria for the promotion process, but had not moved forward with any promotions other than the chief.

Koth was adamant that the ordinance was a top priority for the committee, because the police department needed a clear and organized path to higher positions.

"This isn't about what these people do, this is the process about how these people can move into these positions," Koth said.

State law requires that any person must have previously worked for a municipality's police force before they can be promoted to the position of chief. The position of captain is currently unfilled in River Edge. The police staff currently calls for one chief, captain, lieutenant, detective and detective sergeant, five sergeants and 13 patrol officers.

Koth said the new process would not only help current officers potentially move through positions in a more defined manner, but also help staffing shortfalls.

"I'd like to start by thanking the council for adopting the promotional ordinance to help move along getting the police department properly staffed with supervisory personnel," Koth said. "I'm happy now to be one of the municipalities in Bergen County that has a defined process for promotions in our police department. There are many benefits that having this process will provide to the borough."